Box-seal.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. HARRINGTON, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TOHARRINGTON CUTLERY COMPANY, OF SOUTHIBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BOX-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 12, 1912.

Patented May 19, 1914. Serial No. 676,960.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CI-IARLEs D. I'IARRINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southbridge, in thecounty of W'orcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Box-Seals, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in boxes, and has for its leadingobject the provision of novel and improved means for securing togetherthe two sections of a box of the telescopic type in which one section ofthe box fits within the other section thereof.

The further object of my invention is the provision of an improved sealfor this purpose whichshall be so constructed as to be ready ofapplication and inexpensive of construction and which while permittingof the ready opening of the box in the correct manner, will preventpersons casually handling the box from readily opening the same.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an improved box sealwhich may be utilized to hold the two portions of the box together atone end in order that the cover and containing portions of the box maynot become separated and thus confusion result due to mixing of thevarious covers for boxes containing different prices of articles asfrequently occurs when the covers are entirely loose and separate fromthe boxes.

Other objects and advantages of my improved box seal will be readilyapparent by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, and it will be understood that I maymake any modifications in the specific structure shown and describedwithin the scope of the appended claim without departing from orexceeding the spirit of my invention.

Figure I represents a bottom plan view of a box secured with my improvedseals. Fig. II represents a longitudinal sectional view thereof on lineII-II of Fig. I. Fig. III represents a similar sectional viewillustrating a slightly modified application of my seal, and Fig. IVrepresents a sectional view of a further modification of my inventionshowing the use of my seal as a hinge for connecting the two portions ofthe box,

In the drawings, in which similar characters of reference are employedto denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral1 designates the top of the cover section which is provided with thedepending side and end sections 2 which form a peripheral flange forreceiving the upwardly projecting sides and ends 3 of the bottom 4: ofthe box, the length of the portions 2 and 3 being approximately equal.In use the portions 3 resting against the under side of the cover. I amaware that previous to my invention other means have been employed forsealing boxes of this type and that it is not new to hold the twosections of the box together by placing over the lower edge of theflange 2 and the adjacent portion of the bottom of the box a strip ofmaterial which will connect the top and bottom and which may be cut orsevered to permit of separation of the parts. This method of securingthe top and bottom together possesses decided disadvantages in that whena box so sealed is handled frequently the said connection material isliable to become torn or worn through so as to permit of its rupturewhen the cover is grasped to lift the entire box. Another disadvantageof this method of scaling is that when a box so sealed is placed on acounter for advertising purposes or when a salesman is hunting for acertain article upon the shelves the said box may be readily opened bycutting the connecting member with the finger nail and this will permitof the unnoticed abstraction of a portion of the contents of the box orwill cause an unnecessary number of boxes having the same contents to beopened and increase the difliculty of the store keeper keeping track ofthe amount of goods which he has in stock. It is the purpose of myinvention to obviate these various objectionable features and to do thisin the form of my invention shown in Fig. II, I have secured to theinner face of the end portions 2 of the cover the strip 5, which may beof either paper or cloth and of any desired strength according to theweight of the contents of the box. This strip 5 has the end 6 secured tothe cover and is then provided with a free portion 7 terminating in alower end 8 which is placed against and is secured to the bottom of theCir box. In the drawings I have illustrated the seal as disposed at theends of an oblong box as it best receives the strain and resists openingof the box by separating tension exerted against the bottom and cover,although it will be understood that the seal may be placed at anydesired point.

In Fig. III, I have shown a slight modification of my seal as regardsthe manner in which the same is attached to the basal section of thebox, in that the same is secured not only to the bottom 4, but to theadjacent portion of the end section 3, thus preventing the loose portionof the member 5 from being at the very bottom of the box where it mightbe cut by the finger nail, and cansing said loose portion 7 to bedisposed high enough within the space between the end portions 2 and 3to necessitate the using of a knife or similar implement.

In Fig. IV, I have shown a still further modification of the method ofattachment of my improved seal 5, in this view the attached portion 6being secured to the under side of the top 1, while the other end issecured to the under side of the bottom 4 of the box, thus providing thelongest loose portion 7 and making the most satisfactory hingeconnection between the top and bottom, since it permits of the greatestrelative movement of the two portions at one end when the other end hasbeen loosened without tearing or pulling loose of the seal.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings theconstruction of my improved box seal will be readily understood, and itwill be seen that I have provided a seal which has one end secured tothe cover section of a box and the other end to the bottom of the box,while the intermediate portion of the said seal is free and extendsdiagonally between the top and bottom in such manner that a tool orimplement inserted between said portions will serve to sever the seal topermit of opening of the box while the box cannot be readily openedmerely by the finger nail, and consequently is more free from tamperingwith by unauthorized persons than is the case with boxes sealed in theordinary manner. It will also be observed that the loose portion 7 has asecond advantage, in that the top and bottom may have slight relativeplay so that undue forcing together of said portions does not tear loosethe seal, or slight relative sliding of the parts does not tear theseal, while when one end of the box has been unsealed the cover andbottom may be shifted relative to each other to permit of removal of allor a portion of the contents of the box, the portion 7 serving as ahinge and preventing separation of the top and bottom so that the topwith its designations as to quality and price of the goods is alwayswith the box containing the said goods.

I claim:

The combination with a box comprising two telescopic sections, aseverable seal therefor, one end of said seal being secured to the covernear the top thereof and the other end secured to the bottom of the box,the seal having an intermediate portion extending diagonally between theoverlapping portions of the box whereby the seal is protected andconcealed. by the sections of the box.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. HARRINGTON.

\Vitne sses MARY CLARKE, MARY KENDALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

